Trapped in loops

 

Embedded above is a general overview of the Eightfold Path in Buddhism. While reflecting on it, I felt it’s more complex than it needs to be. That’s not to say it isn’t valuable—it is—but for me, a simpler model emerged that made more sense.

As discussed earlier, Buddhism talks about the three poisons and their antidotes. The problem is, most people consume both—poisons and antidotes—without being aware that they are fueling two engines simultaneously  - loop of clarity and the loop of confusion.

Or in other words, a blood thirsty murderer is also capable of great kindness simultaneously. He just needs the trigger to be kind. Similarly a kind soul is also capable of great atrocities, he just need the trigger to do so.

The two loop model of confusion and clarity, suggests that through awareness and intention, it is possible to avoid the loop of confusion. 

Right view leads to right aspiration, which leads to right action, and loops back to the right view. Enter at any point, and it feeds the others, allowing you to stay in the loop. This is the loop of clarity.

But when people act without awareness and drinks the poisons, they enter the opposite loop: wrong view, wrong aspiration, wrong action. Same circular pattern, just destructive. And most people oscillate between these two, keeping both engines running.

To break free, one must stay in the loop of clarity long enough for the loop of confusion to slow down and stop. Especially when dealing with emotions like shame or guilt, recognizing these loops is crucial. When you take an antidote, avoid the poison that could pull you back into confusion.

This model is rooted in the Eightfold Path: right view, right aspiration, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. But many of these—speech, livelihood, effort, etc.—are just extensions of action. They’re valid, but they clutter the core insight.

The Eightfold Path doesn’t have to be checkboxes, but a journey. This is recognized is Buddhism but the complex nature of the eight fold path makes it into checkboxes - it frames it as a goal rather than a journey with a risk of restarting the loop of confusion.

For practicality and actionable purpose, If you are unable to find the right view or right intention,  start with the right action even if its shallow and driven by ego. Reflect on it to get the right view and right intention.

This is backed by science as well, Where behavioral activation is an approach suggested by therapists where a patient intentionally modifies his behavior, to influence their emotional state. And repeated habits with repeated rewards, reinforces the positive emotional state and cognitive patterns.